Wireless networks which were originally designed for wireless telephone services are being adapted for wireless data services as well. The wireless networks are adapted for wireless data services by linking the wireless network to the preexisting wired data network, wireless packet data protocols such as General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) were developed to facilitate the transmission of data packets over the wireless network.
The most common wired data network is the Internet. The Internet is a global network connecting computers from government agencies, education institutions, the military, and businesses from around the world. Data is transmitted over the Internet using data packets. The data packets are sent from a sender to a recipient over any one of a number of network connections between the sender to the recipient.
Where the recipient is a wireless client, the data packet is sent from the wired network, e.g., the Internet, to a wireless network associated with the wireless client. The wireless network routes the data packet to a radio transceiver region that maintains radio communications with the wireless client. The radio transceiver transmits the data packet over the wireless interface to the wireless client.
The available bandwidth for transmission of data packets over the wireless air interface is usually lower as compared to other parts of the communication network. As a result, a backlog of data packets exists for transmission over the air interface. The resulting backlog significantly affects the throughput rate of the wireless packet data network.
The data packets are transmitted in accordance with a priority scheme, wherein each data packet is associated with a particular priority. For example, in a GPRS network, each data packet is associated with a radio priority, wherein packets with the lowest radio priority level are transmitted first.
The assignment of radio priority is based on a subscriber profile parameter which is associated with the subscriber at the wireless client. The subscriber profile parameters is known as the Quality of Service parameter. Accordingly, the wireless network provider can offer different levels and prices for subscription, based on the Quality of Service parameter which determines the priority of transmission for data packets.
However, quality implies the process of delivering data in a reliable and timely manner, where the definition of reliable and timely is dependent upon the type of traffic being addressed. A casual user doing occasional Internet browsing may have a different definition of Quality of Service than a large business user access and downloading databases or financial files. Therefore, Quality of Service is a continuum defined by the network performance characteristics, applications of the users and the particular service level agreements of the users.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous if the priority of transmission for the data packets were based on the Quality of Service continuum.